Between Italy and France there are the Alpes-Maritimes, with their peaks over 3,000 meters, lakes, grasslands, small glaciers, and plenty of alpine fauna – a unique environmental patrimony that you must discover soon. Why? Here are 10 reasons!
A fascinating place for a sustainable holiday: the Alpes-Maritimes offer unique natural landscapes, but not only that. Let’s go to the discovery of these beautiful mountains, between nature, wolves and art museums.
On the wolf’s Tracks in the Mercantour
You walk for 10 days, starting from San Giacomo di Entraque, and then follow the traces of the wolf through the Park of the Maritime Alps in Piedmont and the Mercantour Park in France. It is a beautiful itinerary, with a fascinating history, among mountain refuges and beautiful mountains, lakes and forests, and that allows you to admire the wolves visiting the fauna centers of Entracque and Le Boréon.
Walk through chamois and marmots to the largest lake in Europe
And here is another trail that allows you to admire the Alpes Maritimes in all their beauty. This fantastic trekking in the park of Mercantour (France) allows you to reach Lake Allos, Europe’s largest mountain lake, among chamois and marmots.
Travel by train from the Alps to the sea with the railway of wonders
There is a train departing from Cuneo and passing in the Maritime Alps, among galleries, beech forests and rich vegetation. It is a magical journey between small characteristic village and alpine landscapes. Then you get to Limone Piemonte, an internationally renowned ski resort, and then cross the French border to discover the Roia Valley. Then, you begin to descend, you return to Italy arriving in Liguria, until you reach the sea of Ventimiglia.
Discover the art of Marc Chagall
Let’s leave the summits of the Alpes-Maritimes to arrive in Nice, where there’s a beautiful museum entirely dedicated to the artist Marc Chagall. The complex was thought by the same painter in 1973, to accommodate in particular its 17 canvases depicting scenes from the Old Testament.
Walking along the sea
There are many trails in the French Maritime Alps that allow you to admire amazing landscapes, to walk up the sea, to see Corsica and the Italian beaches. There is, for example, the hiking trail of Sainte-Agnes, the highest coastal village in Europe, offering a breathtaking view of the ruins of the feudal castle.
Walk through wonderful works of art
Second stage of art for our green holiday among the Alpes-Maritimes. The Maeght Foundation is a charming and special exhibition center dedicated to modern and contemporary art located in Saint-Paul de Vence, near Nice. The collection includes works by artists such as Braque, Calder, Chagall, Giacometti, Léger, Miró, Adami, Kelly, and Tàpies, and the center is a perfect example of harmonious integration between art and landscape.
Eco-friendly stays
There are many eco-sustainable accommodation facilities in the Alpes-Maritimes, both in Italy and France. You can choose from mountain refuges, eco-chic hotels, romantic B & Bs or still glamping and tree houses. In France, in Saint-Jeannet, there is the B&B La Maison Bleue, a typically Provencal home, with a relaxed and artistic atmosphere, with a beautiful garden.
Spectacular nature to discover by foot
There is no better way than walking to look inside yourself and admire nature, to find out all the beauty around us. Here, in the Alpes-Maritimes Park, we can face a fascinating four-day trek with a recognized Guide to the Park, following the dense network of mule trackers used for hunting by King Vittorio Emanuele II, crossing glacial lakes, alpine or wild prairies. Stamps, chamois, marmots, eagles will be the fellow travelers of this adventure.
Immerse yourself in contemporary art
We return to Nice to discover another beautiful art museum. This is MAMAC, a modern and contemporary art museum known all over Europe. The building was built by French architects Yves Bayard and Henri Vidale, and the collection pays special attention to Pop Art and Nouveau réalisme and is made up of paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations.
Walk along the panoramic route of the Pays Nicois
Between the Alps and the sea, the Pays Nicois territory offers numerous trails, between nature and enchanting medieval villages perched on the mountains.
Photo by Elisa Triolo via Flickr
